Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Movin' with His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

He's been the man since 1991, and there's a reason your Dragonmaster has long ranked His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as one of my Unexpectedly Coolest People: He genuinely cares, as do I, about the future of Man on this Planet. He knows that Earth's resources are at considerable risk, which is why folks often call him the Green Patriarch. And like his North American/New York City-based amigo, Archbishop Demetrios, Bartholomew can, at the blink of an eye, keep a grip on anything that goes on with the members of his flock. Indeed, a few weeks ago, Bartholomew decided to spend a few important moments with another of ol' Blackwolf's Unexpectedly Coolest People --- His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia!

But sometimes, being the Green Patriarch can be tough, as Bartholomew told 60 Minutes' Bob Simon last December 17th. Check out the historic interview and accompanying video.

And do have a look at His All-Holiness' homepages to learn what else the Green Patriarch has been up to recently.

Blackwolf Ponders Editing

It's time I said a few things in here on the subject of editing. It's a very long and often tedious process, one where you are struggling to decide just how careful you have to be in terms of choosing your words; and where you are sometimes called upon to ruthlessly express ideas, opinions, etc. on your target audience. Every year, on its Performers' Page, the cast members of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival are called upon to provide a detailed analysis of their specific role. It has long been a favorite place for your Dragonmaster to visit in part because it helps me introduce you, when the occasion has demanded, to the Festival's ruling King and Queen; I am happy to say that King Edward and Queen Isabella will return to Bonner Springs this season, and I certainly look forward to updating their Royal Dossier on the parent Dark Chambers homepage when I can get some breathing room in.

Editing is often a chore mostly because you're usually your own cop --- which is to say, you tend to frequently police yourself, the better to stop any and all typographical errors that may (and sometimes that may not) trip you up. It's the friend/enemy/frenemy of all movie, TV, and home-video screenwriters, and don't get me started about film editing, either.

Editing forces you to move your brain faster than the speed of light. You're having to put things on hold or make new plans at the last minute and everything else .... editing is, ultimately, essential to the DNA of life itself. The Quest, pure and simply, involves keeping up with, and learning how to maintain, the pace. Luckily, being one with the strength to stay in-the-know as much as is Mortally possible, your Dragonmaster has the proverbial handle on things. (Heh-heh!)